Baek Jong-won’s Super Simple Radish Salad (Mu Saengchae)
Ready in 5 Minutes Without Salting! Crispy and Spicy Rice-Thief Radish Salad Recipe
Whip up a super simple radish salad in just 5 minutes with this no-salting recipe! It’s a fantastic side dish that will stimulate your appetite with its crunchy texture and sweet-spicy flavor, making you want to finish a whole bowl of rice. Enjoy it as a delicious topping for hot rice with a fried egg, a dollop of gochujang, and a drizzle of sesame oil. It’s a lifesaver when you have no side dishes ready!
Main Ingredients- 1/2 medium radish (approx. 500g)
- 1 cup chopped green onion (using a paper cup, approx. 50g)
Seasoning Ingredients- 1/2 cup gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, using a paper cup, approx. 50g)
- 1/3 cup sugar (using a paper cup, approx. 40g)
- 1/3 cup minced garlic (using a paper cup, approx. 40g)
- 1/4 cup vinegar (using a paper cup, approx. 35g)
- 1/4 cup fish sauce (using a paper cup, approx. 35g)
- 1/2 cup gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, using a paper cup, approx. 50g)
- 1/3 cup sugar (using a paper cup, approx. 40g)
- 1/3 cup minced garlic (using a paper cup, approx. 40g)
- 1/4 cup vinegar (using a paper cup, approx. 35g)
- 1/4 cup fish sauce (using a paper cup, approx. 35g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare half a fresh radish. Peel off the outer skin and then julienne it into bite-sized strips, about 0.5cm thick. If they are too thin, they can easily break, so cutting them to a moderate thickness is best.
Step 2
Next, finely chop the green onions. Prepare about 1 cup of chopped green onions (using a paper cup, approximately 50g). The fragrant aroma of green onions will further enhance the flavor of the radish salad.
Step 3
Place the julienned radish in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) and gently toss with your hands, ensuring the radish strips are evenly coated with the chili flakes. Coating with chili flakes first helps the seasoning to penetrate better.
Step 4
Be careful not to knead too vigorously at this stage, as it can make the radish mushy and ruin the texture. The key is to gently mix and toss to maintain the radish’s crispness.
Step 5
Once the radish strips are nicely colored with gochugaru, it’s time to add the remaining seasoning ingredients. Add the prepared green onions (1 cup), sugar (1/3 cup), minced garlic (1/3 cup), and vinegar (1/4 cup). Mix gently again. We’ll season with the fish sauce at the very end.
Step 6
Finally, add 1/4 cup of fish sauce and gently toss one more time. Your delicious radish salad is ready! Adding fish sauce provides a savory depth that makes the flavor even richer.
Step 7
Ta-da! Your super simple Baek Jong-won style radish salad is ready, perfectly crisp and flavorful without any pre-salting. Isn’t it incredibly easy?
Step 8
Serve a generous portion of this radish salad over a bowl of hot rice. Add a fried egg, a little gochujang, and a drizzle of sesame oil, then mix it all together for an ultimate meal that needs no other side dishes. The satisfying crunch and the sweet and sour flavor will fill your mouth, making it a true ‘rice thief’! Make it whenever you’re craving something delicious.
